Before you go flinging shit all over me, I know there's worse to worry about right now, but if any of you knows how to sew and has the cloth to spare I'll find some way to pay you back.

These blue rugs make shitty ponchos and unlike some of you lucky bastards I never got more than one set of space pajamas. I'll take spares, too, if that's all there is to go around.

[AJ's voice is utterly defeated right now, but then she's been wearing one of those bolts of blue alien fabric that had been collected from a month or two ago, the badly folded likes of which have been covering the shredded back-side of her crew-issue jumpsuit for the last two days. She's been feeling about as comfortable as a cat in a festive sweater.]

[audio] un: algidus

Now you see why I never bother wearing 'em. [Maybe not helping her feel any more comfortable, but... he doesn't like hearing that tone. So, in an attempt to cheer her up, he's going to try something that he doesn't often do (perhaps for understandable reasons): joke around a little bit.]

audio->action

[Seriously, Algidus? Seriously? AJ is at least in the vicinity. She doesn't deign to respond to him over the network, but she picks up a clod of earth and quick-times it around the camp to huck it at him.]

Look how good that turned out for you!

[She's not especially furious, but the implication he's leaving is downright humiliating and she's overboiled from the last few days' incredible stress.]

action forever.

[Well, at least her tone doesn't sound so sad anymore, though he's not sure if this is any better. Algidus squawks and scowls, really not appreciating having dirt tossed at him. Now he's remembering why he doesn't try to joke more often.] Hey, easy with that, not while I'm healing! Ever heard of a thing called infections? They're real... and they're not pretty.

[Now the alien huffs, rubbing at his flank gingerly. A moment later he gives AJ a look out of the corner of his eye, this one less contentious and more... dare say... apologetic?] I wasn't trying to suggest that you should strip down, just so you know. I was just... trying to... you like to joke around some times, so I... never mind. It was a stupid remark. Never mind. Forget it.

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You wouldn't get any uglier, [she's about to say, but his apology cuts her short. Damnit, Algidus, you have to stop disarming her like that.

AJ pulls a loose fold of the uncomfortable, nearly carpet-like material down again and tightens her belt across it. At this rate she could use a bandanna and a spectral cowboy hat to complete her look, but all she's worried about is keeping her own backside covered.]

Joke about other people, [she instead demands. This is serious.

like her fashion faux pas trumps his delicate balance between health and death. It's amazing the change a few days can bring around.]

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[The caring one day and callous the next pattern of behavior that she's putting Algidus through would be enough to wear on him were he not toeing this balance; as it is, it grinds even more painfully than normal. The alien's mandibles flare out and hold there, but rather than give any sort of belligerence he simply gives a dull nod, which will be about the only response AJ gets from him in this regard.]

[voice]

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[AJ wrinkles her nose, immediately slammed with mild irritation. How do some people here have their shit together enough to take care of animals when she can barely keep herself clothed? She's not even actively working against anyone... what's she doing wrong?

Gritting her teeth, she for once doesn't let any of that out in her response, though it's likely that people in her quadrant of the camp are getting little peaks of annoyance due to the way that emotions tend to leak.]

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[She adjusts the cinch on her poncho awkwardly, feeling ill at ease with his silence. The way that he looks like he's about to speak, with those dark tines flared, makes her want to wait, but it also makes her bristle.

In the end, smoothing reflexively along with the grain of the uncomfortable fabric she's wearing, she gives a snort and shakes her head. Loose strands of hair fall from the slap-dash ponytail that she is almost always trying to keep from falling apart.]

Come on, there's plenty of other people to make fun of. We should go watch the smart-asses out near the wall working on the generators. Easy to do, might see if they're making any break-throughs we can jump in on for, you know.

[Around here she is going to say nothing of their own project--mostly stymied, unfortunately--because she knows it's not one that people will take seriously, but is one that Algidus holds very dear to whatever constitutes his alien heart.]

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[Algidus cocks his head to one side slightly, mandibles still flared, before they settle back against his jawline as he shakes his head and grumbles under his breath.] Wasn't making fun of you, already said that. [Another small pause, as the alien casts a reluctant look in the general direction of the wall. It's not a bad idea at all, and it's normally one he would be all up for, but...] ... You don't think they're going to realize that certain parts of me are... a bit skinnier than normal, do you?